1. Field of Invention
This invention relates wheelbarrows, and more particularly to wheelbarrows which are equipped with an engine and drive means for propelling the wheelbarrow.
2. Description of the Related Art
The usefulness of wheelbarrows is well known to those involved in construction, gardening, and other uses where loads are moved and transported form one place to another. The wheelbarrow is a unique tool in that due to its single wheel design, a relatively heavy load may be balanced and moved. Wheelbarrows are also useful in that they may be used to move loads over rough and difficult terrain where other means of transport would be very difficult.
Heretofore, attempts have been made to power or motorize wheelbarrows by using gasoline powered engines in order to propel the wheelbarrow and load carried in the wheelbarrow. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,533,549 issued to Bell uses an air cooled gasoline motor and power transmission mechanism affixed to the wheelbarrow. U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,508 issued to Hoover et al. discloses a motorized wheelbarrow utilizing a gasoline engine which drives a front wheel through a friction drive transmission. The speed of the wheelbarrow is controlled by a throttle lever which is mounted on a handle of the wheelbarrow and is in combination with the friction drive lever which allows for the engine to be slowly and gradually engaged. U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,254 issued to Harris, III et al. discloses a motorized wheelbarrow using a displacement type engine and multi-speed transmission to drive the wheel of the wheelbarrow.
Such motorized wheelbarrows all suffer from significant disadvantages and limitations, which undoubtedly have been a reason they have not been widely accepted. For example, such wheelbarrows are bulky, cumbersome, and difficult and dangerous to use in many types of terrain. Further, such wheelbarrows are excessively heavy and unbalanced requiring the user to shift and manipulate the load to compensate therefore which detracts from the power gained from the motor.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a motorized wheelbarrow which is lightweight, strong, balanced, and efficient at carrying and transporting a wide range of load sizes and weights. The motorized wheelbarrow of the present invention has high performance capability and possesses sufficient power to drive the wheelbarrow at both slow speeds or at high speeds with small, medium or large loads.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentality's and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.